Thursday, January 31, 2013

And generally my resolutions were all about
writing…I would finish my novel, do more blog posts, write every day. But after
we moved out to the Foothills, our priorities completely changed…as did my
resolutions.

A while back, I resolved to learn how to split wood.
So I went out to the woodsheds with John, pulled on my trusty ear protection,
and set a small log—a piece of birch, a nice soft wood for a beginner—on our
splitting stump. I positioned the wedge onto the log, swung the mallet down on
top of it, and Bam!

Ouch! I’d split the piece, but the impact reverbed
into my wrists, and shot up both arms into my shoulders. Jeez, that really
hurt! I tried five more logs, each time the impact zinged through me harder than
the last. My arms were numb for two days. At that point, I made a new
resolution: to give up wood spitting forever. It would have to be the one
Berryridge Farm chore that I just wasn’t suited for. John could take full responsibility for our wood supply.

Then recently, some unforeseen circumstances put me in charge of our woodpile. Here it was, early
January—the dead of winter, with the coldest days ahead. But we had only several days’
worth of firewood. I had to get up to speed on splitting, and fast.

Luckily, since my original attempt, I’d gotten some
physical therapy to treat neck and shoulder stiffness—the souvenir from
intensive gardening by hand in my Boomer years. Still, with that awful
wood-splitting reverb still fresh in my memory, I wasn’t too optimistic
about filling our empty woodshed.

However, John had just bought a new, heavy-duty
splitting maul. Plus Santa had brought me a great pair of
leather gloves—much better than gardening gloves for using sharp tools. So,
after a quickie tutorial with the new maul, I was on my own. I set a nice dry
piece of fir on the stump, lifted the maul as high as I dared, and swung.
Thwack! It worked!

True, I felt the reverb, but not near as badly
as before. So I did a couple more pieces, just to give my arms a
chance to get used to the impact, then quit for the day. From then on, I resolved
to split a few pieces every day. It’s one of the few resolutions I’ve actually
kept—avoiding a freezing house is a powerful motivator—and I’ve actually
learned a few things.

So after 3 weeks of splitting wood, here are my Top
5 Woodsman’s/Woodsgal’s Tips for Newbies:

*Get to know your wood.

After years of schlepping wood with John and feeding
the woodstove, I could identify most kinds of wood—maple, alder, birch, fir,
etc. But for splitting, you need to look at the grain, and figure how each kind
of wood splits a little differently. There’s a reason maple is called a
hardwood, as opposed to fir being a softwood—if you’re splitting maple, you
really need to put some oomph into it.

*Make sure your wood is seasoned.

If there are cracks, or “checks” on the ends of the
log, you’re good to go. If you swing your maul and it bounces right off the
log, you can pretty well conclude that puppy is too green for a newbie
splitter.

*Watch for knots.

If you try splitting a log, especially maple, with a
knot in it, you just created more work for yourself. Because your maul will probably
get stuck in it. I learned this firsthand, with my maul lodged in the log tighter than
the Sword in the Stone. I had to hack at the log with a hatchet to free the
maul. But if a log is really, really dry, you aim your maul in between the
knots, and luck is with you, you’ll wind up with a nice split log.

*Keep your eyes on the log.

It’s like in baseball, or golf—you’ve got to keep
your eye on the ball. John will tell
you, I can’t throw worth a darn, and my aim in pathetic. However, employing
intense focus, I’ve actually split some jagged logs—windfall that broke apart in various places—by aiming my maul into one of the crevices.But I still can’t throw.

*Focus is everything.

No multi-tasking allowed! When I’m splitting, I can’t
be daydreaming about my heroine’s escapades in the novel I’m working on, or
what to eat for dinner. You don’t want to miss the
log and hit your leg with that big old maul. Which brings us back to: keep your
eyes on the log.

One last homesteader’s resolution. I resolve that John
and I will start splitting next year’s firewood this June—and by September,
we’ll have two woodsheds’ full!

New Homesteading Book Now Available!

Susan Colleen Browne is a novelist, modern homesteader, and the creator of the Irish Village of Ballydara series, (see more at susancolleenbrowne.com). Susan's other Irish books include It Only Takes Once, now free at all online retailers, The Hopeful Romantic, and more! She's also the author of a fantasy-adventure series for tweens. Her award-winning memoir, Little Farm in the Foothills, follows Susan and her husband John's first, tumultuous year on their starter homestead. Here at the Little Farm blog, you'll find Susan's food-growing adventures, chicken tales and more about her books!

True-Life Homesteading Story

When two Boomers flee the city for a slower, simpler life, they discover that simplicity can get awfully complicated! This wise, yet lighthearted memoir is for gardeners, nature-lovers, and dreamers of all ages... Available in ebook and paperback!

Latest Irish novel: The Galway Girls, Book 4 of Susan's country-set Village of Ballydara series!

Two friends search for their heart’s desire in this small-town romantic novel, continuing Kerry and Stephen's story in Book 3, The Hopeful Romantic...available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Apple!

It Only Takes Once, Book 1 of the Ballydara series...now free!

A touching romantic comedy about a twenty-something single mom's search for the perfect father for her son--get your free ebook at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Apple!

Mother Love, Book 2 of the Ballydara series

In this rollicking love story, meet brash, irreverent Grainne Larkin, who secretly longs for a baby. Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Apple!

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In this tender story about marriage and family, country-loving Kerry McCormack, a young Dublin mother, dreams of having a farm...but at what cost? Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo and Apple!

A Christmas short story in the Village of Ballydara series

In this tender, magical Irish tale, the sequel to The Secret Well, an unexpected blessing, a mystical encounter and a bit of fairy lore helps a grieving family rediscover the true meaning of Christmas. The Christmas Visitor ebook is available at all online retailers!

The Secret Well, a Village of Ballydara short story

In this touching, bittersweet tale, one man's loving spirit leads to a family's reconciliation and his own greater faith and wisdom...the ebook is available at all online retailers...click the book cover for a free copy!

A Halloween fantasy-adventure for tweens! Morgan Carey and The Curse of the Corpse Bride

In Book 1 of the Morgan Carey series, 5th grader Morgan has chosen the coolest costume ever, a dead bride...her trouble begins with a powerful magical spell during the Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead! The series also includes The Mystery of the Christmas Fairies and The Secret Astoria Scavenger Hunt...all 3 books are available at your favorite online retailers!